Types of Housing
Day Shelters
Supplement homeless and low-income people when the shelter their staying in only offers shelter on an overnight basis. Case management is often provided and sometimes there are laundry and shower facilities. Meals and basic hygiene may also be offered. Almost all-day shelters provide their services free of charge. Any emergency or homeless shelter that allows clients to stay during the day is also classified under this category.
Drug & Alcohol Rehab Programs
Intended to treat alcohol and/or drug dependency. The cost of participating in one of these programs and the method of treatment range significantly. The database operated on this website only includes residential rehab programs (not outpatient programs). We also provide Access to Recovery (ATR) Grant programs for substance abuse treatment.
Emergency Homeless Shelters
Provide short term relief for the homeless & low-income. Usually there is a maximum stay of 3 months or less. Many of these shelters ask their clients to leave during the day. Meals and other supportive services are often offered. 3 times out of 5 these shelters offer their services free of charge.
Independent Living Programs (ILP) Programs
Designed to support various populations of residents but primarily for veterans, foster youth, and/or persons with disabilities. These programs have some eligibility guidelines but those participating require little to no assistance. Programs offer additional services that participants can access on an as-needed basis. These can include legal aid, peer support, on-site supportive staff, etc.
Permanent Long-Term Housing
A long-term solution for housing. Residents are often allowed to stay as long as they remain in the low-income bracket but is sometimes limited 3 - 5 years. Residents pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent. Emergency shelters, homeless shelters and transitional housing programs that allow their clients to stay without a maximum stay is also classified under this category.
Rooming House or Boarding House
A rooming house is a building in which renters occupy single rooms and share kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas. The location may be a converted single-family home, a converted hotel, or a purpose-built structure. Rooming houses are low-cost housing and may have as few as three rooms for rent, or more than a hundred. The same goes for boarding houses.
Shared Housing Programs
Helps bring low-income persons together and helps prevent homelessness by providing affordable housing options. This service is good for families, disabled persons, and others wanted more companionship. ShelterListings.org finds these shared housing locations and lists them throughout our website.
Supportive Housing Programs
Provide an alternative living arrangement for individuals who, because of age, disability, substance abuse, mental illness, chronic homelessness or other circumstances, are unable to live independently without care, supervision and/or support to help them in the activities of daily living; or who need access to case management, housing support, vocational, employment and other services to transition to independent living.
Transitional Housing
Affordable low-cost supportive housing designed to provide housing and appropriate support services to persons who are homeless or who are close to homelessness. The transition is to help them be more self-sufficient to move toward independent living on their own. Services provided at transitional housing facilities varies from substance abuse treatment, to psychological assistance, job training, domestic violence assistance, etc. The assistance provided varies, but it is generally affordable and low-cost housing. Read the descriptions of each of the transitional living locations for more detailed information.
Section 8 Housing
What is Section 8?
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (“Section 8”) is the largest and most successful low-income housing assistance program in the country. Property owners who participate in the Section 8 program benefit from the program because as much as 100% of the rent is paid by the government. As long as the lease terms and property are maintained, the rent is virtually guaranteed and sent to the owner every month, often times by direct deposit into the owner’s bank account.
How does Section 8 work?
Approximately 2.3 million households receive federal rental assistance via the Section 8 program. Section 8 is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Although federally funded, the Section 8 program is administered locally by over 2,400 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country.
Is it hard to get a Section 8 voucher?
Obtaining a Section 8 voucher is not easy. Because of funding limitations, not everyone who qualifies for a Section 8 voucher receives one. Due to overwhelming demand, many waiting lists for Section 8 assistance are closed and only open sporadically and for brief periods of time. This makes getting on a Section 8 waiting list challenging. If you manage to get on a Section 8 waiting list, long wait times are the norm and families often wait years to receive a voucher.
Further complicating the process, most PHAs also have different local priorities or methods of selecting applicants from their waiting list. Often this includes a local residency preference for those living or working within the PHAs jurisdiction. Some PHAs also administer special purpose vouchers that are designated for specific populations, like the Mainstream Section 8 voucher program which provides a Section 8 voucher to households with a disabled adult household member.
How to apply for Section 8?
The first step in getting a Section 8 Voucher is finding a Section 8 waiting list that is open and taking applications. Anyone interested in applying for Section 8 should start by searching the Section 8 Waiting List Directory. New Section 8 Waiting List openings are updated and posted daily along with who is eligible and instructions on how to apply. Families interested in applying for a Section 8 voucher assistance should check this Waiting List Directory frequently.
What number am I on the Section 8 waitlist?
Most Housing Authorities will not tell you what your place is on a waiting list. This is because rankings can change as an applicant’s needs change. PHAs require applicants to keep their application up to date with any changes in their family composition, income, or contact information to remain on the waiting list. Updating factors that can affect ranking on your application, like income, can change your ranking.
If you are on a waiting list, it is very important to keep your contact information current. Often times applicants are selected after years of waiting but their mailing address or phone numbers have changed. Sadly, many applicants cannot be reached when they are finally selected to receive a Section 8 voucher. Make sure to update your personal information to ensure you will be contacted when housing becomes available.